Our Privacy/Cookie Policy contains detailed information about the types of cookies & related technology on our site, and some ways to opt out. By using the site, you agree to the uses of cookies and other technology as outlined in our Policy, and to our Terms of Use.

New Dads at Amazon Get Prime News

Online retail giant Amazon has joined other big tech companies in revising its family leave policies to be friendlier to moms and dads who work there.

The Wall Street Journal reports the company now offers six weeks of parental leave to new fathers. They've also expanded their maternity leave to 20 weeks for mothers, which includes four weeks of paid leave before the baby's due date.

The leave policy covers Amazon's hourly 100,000 customer service and fulfillment center workers. Online video streaming giant Netflix came under fire when its celebrated and unprecedented leave policy, announced in August, was found to only be available to upper-level, salaried workers and not the hourly employees stuffing and shipping envelopes.

Employees can also work part-time for up to 8 weeks after their leave ends, allowing them to ease into the transition of returning to work.

To be eligible for Amazon's paternity leave, new parents must have worked for the company for at least a year. The program includes a "leave-share" plan, where workers can turn over some number of their six-week leave with partners or spouses whose employers don't offer paid leave.